Casablanca

In wartime Casablanca, Rick Blaine runs a popular nightclub that draws a mix of refugees, Vichy officials, and opportunists. When Ilsa Lund, a woman from Rick's past, arrives with her husband Victor Laszlo, a famed resistance leader, old feelings and current loyalties collide. As refugees scramble for exit visas and power plays unfold, Rick wrestles with whether to protect his own heart or help others escape danger. The film follows the unfolding emotional and moral choices without revealing later turns in their lives.

Released in 1943 and directed by Michael Curtiz, the screenplay was written by Julius and Philip G. Epstein and Howard Koch, adapting the play "Everybody Comes to Rick's." The film stars Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Paul Henreid and Claude Rains.

Casablanca won three Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director for Michael Curtiz, and Best Adapted Screenplay for the Epsteins and Howard Koch. It also received acting nominations for Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman among other honors at the Oscars.

The movie left a huge mark on popular culture, supplying lines like "Here's looking at you, kid," "We'll always have Paris," and "Play it, Sam," which get quoted and parodied endlessly. Its airport scenes and romantic tension are often referenced, and the film is regularly cited among Hollywood's enduring classics.

Critics have long praised Casablanca for its sharp dialogue, memorable performances, and moral complexity, reflected in an 8.146/10 user rating from 5,860 votes. Major themes include love versus duty, the costs of sacrifice, and the tangled politics of exile and resistance during war. Its blend of romance, cynical humor, and moral choice has kept audiences returning across generations.